Grgich Hills, Napa Valley (California) Petite Sirah 2009

If anyone needed additional proof (I don’t) that Grgich Hills is a brilliant producer — one of California’s best — they should try this Petite Sirah.  It’s a category I try to avoid judging at wine competitions because most Petite Sirah are massive and ponderous, lacking finesse and complexity I value and look for.  Grgich Hills’ relies on nuanced flavors — black olives for one — not just muscle.  To be sure, it’s a brawny, concentrated wine.  But it’s well proportioned and not overdone.  To borrow a phrase from Tim McDonald, a well-known California-based public relations specialist, “Elegance spoken here."